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Wednesday, May 22, 2013
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NetWellness is a global, community service providing quality, unbiased health information from our partner university faculty. NetWellness is commercial-free and does not accept advertising.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
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Many people have diabetes for years before it is ever diagnosed. In fact, nearly 1/3 of diabetics are undiagnosed.
Warning signs that indicate a doctor's visit is necessary include:
It is good to keep in mind that simply having one or more of these symptoms does not automatically mean that you have diabetes. To check your risk, the American Diabetes Association has a Diabetes Risk Test that you can take online.
If your physician suspects the possibility that you have diabetes, he or she may have you take some of the following tests.
Fasting Blood Glucose Test
Because eating food raises your blood glucose level, you will need to fast before you take this test. Fasting means that you do not eat for a period of time, usually 12 hours before the test. After you have fasted for 12 hours, the amount of glucose in your blood will be measured to determine if you have diabetes.
The glucose level in a healthy person stays below 126 milligrams/deciliter (mg/dL). If your level is higher than this, your sugar level is elevated, and you will likely need to take more tests to determine if you have diabetes. Even values above 100 mg/dL are considered abnormal and could be a sign of a pre-diabetes state called Impaired Glucose Tolerance.
The fasting blood glucose test tends to be the preferred test because it is very easy to perform.
Glucose Tolerance Test (Oral Glucose Test)
After fasting from food and drink for at least eight hours, you will be given a drink containing a measured amount of glucose. Several blood samples are drawn for two hours afterward, and the levels of blood glucose are measured and recorded.
- A reading over 200 mg/dL blood glucose indicates diabetes.
- A reading between 150 and 200 mg/dL is a grey area. At this level, you may be "pre-diabetic," which means you may be at risk for developing diabetes.
- Blood glucose levels in a diabetic will rise faster and stay higher longer than in a healthy person.
This test is the most accurate way to diagnose diabetes.
Random Blood Glucose Test
Blood glucose levels can be tested at any time with a finger prick and a glucose monitor. Because food and drink can cause your glucose levels to change drastically, a health professional usually does this test after a meal. If the levels look suspiciously high, your doctor will likely order a fasting test.
If you are a diabetic, the following tests can help you manage your diabetes.
Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose Levels for Diabetics
Glucose levels can rise and fall quite dramatically, so you need to measure your glucose levels several ti
mes a day to keep a close watch on the levels.
- If there is too much sugar in the blood, either too many sugars or carbohydrates were eaten, or not enough insulin was taken.
- At low blood sugar levels, the opposite is true. Either not enough sugars or carbohydrates were consumed, or too much insulin or oral medicine was taken.
However, many diabetics are able to manage their blood sugar levels without taking insulin. They do this by carefully controlling their diet and exercise habits.
Hemoglobin A1 C Test
The hemoglobin A1 C Test monitors long-term trends and how well a diabetic is controlling his or her blood sugar. It can give accurate readings without being affected by current glucose levels.
Glucose tends to attach itself to a protein in the blood called hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the iron-containing protein that carries oxygen and colors the blood red. Glucose combined with hemoglobin results in a new compound called “glycohemoglobin”.
This test measures the percentage of hemoglobin in the body that is made of up this new compound, glycohemoglobin.
- Healthy people usually have less than 7% of the hemoglobin in their body made up of glycohemoglobin. This means that less than 7% of the hemoglobin in the body has glucose attached to it.
- Readings above this 7% marker mean that sugar levels are not being controlled very well over the last several months.
Doing this test regularly over a period of time shows how well a diabetic is controlling overall glucose levels, instead of how well it is being controlled at that moment.
This article is a NetWellness exclusive.
Last Reviewed: Dec 07, 2012
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Robert M Cohen, MD Professor of Clinical Medicine College of Medicine University of Cincinnati |
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Bette K Idemoto, PhD, RN, ACNS-BC, CCRN Clinical Nurse Specialist Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing Case Western Reserve University |
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Please note: only your personal physician or other health professional you consult can best advise you on matters of your health based on your medical history, your family medical history, your medication history, and how information from any of these databases may apply to you. Neither University of Cincinnati (NetWellness) nor any party involved in creating, producing or delivering this web site shall be liable for any damages arising out of access to or use of this web site, or any errors or omissions in the content thereof. (More) 
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